Nineteen Years Later
by PrincessPrismo
Summary: Hello readers. This is my first uploaded story. It is a bit of a love... rhombus, I guess you could call it, between Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione. It's based nineteen years after the death of Lord Voldemort in the household of Ronald Weasley. Many romantical moments happen here. It's a Fremione and Romione kind of thing. Hope you like it!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey. This is my first HP fanfiction. It's about the household of Ronald Weasley 19 years after Voldemort's death. There is sort of a love... rhombus going on between Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione. But it's not what it seems to be.**  


19 Years Later

I wake up in the night to here Hermione sobbing. She's been doing that a lot lately. Ever since George has been living here because of his joke shop going out of business, it just hasn't stopped. I can't tell if she sad for him or what. Every once in a while when she'll wake up and George'll be in the kitchen, she'll tear out of there like she has seen a ghost. Always she goes to the same place: out to the garden. My mum gave us her bench from her garden as a wedding gift and constantly Hermione will go out and just stare at it. Not even sitting on it. Just staring at it from the grass!

"Bloody hell, Hermione, that's the fifth time this week… What's got you in a knot? I've almost never seen you this sad since Dumbledore's fu-" I stop as an image of the casket shoots into my mind. I try to continue. "Or the Battle of-" I stop again, more images shoot into my mind from that fateful day Hogwarts almost fell. That fateful day so many lives were lost. That fateful day where I saw my own friends- even family fall to the ground and never get up again. Hermione keeps crying. I lean over and wipe the tears from her face. She didn't seem to notice. I wave my hand in front of her tightly shut eyes. "Bloody hell… she's crying in her sleep?" I turn over and pull the covers over my ears. Just as I finally start to go to sleep, I hear her say something. I didn't hear it well enough to know what it was. Again, I hear her say something.

"Fred…" I hear her say it so faintly that I could hardly hear it. I shake it off and fall into a restless sleep. I start to dream. I see Hermione running down a corridor. I am chasing after her but she keeps running away from me. Suddenly she stops at a door at the end of the long hall. She turns around, winks at me, and then disappears through the door. I reach the door and try to open it. It's locked. I back up a bit and then start to run at the door. Just as I am about to collide with it, it opens. I tumble to the ground. I'm in a meadow full of flowers. It looks late at night. Way across the meadow there is a cottage. There is a small amount of light leaking from the windows. I walk towards it. Once I am at the front door I hesitate. Instead I go to the windows. I try to see what's inside but the room is only illuminated by a few candles so it is too dark to see. I try at the door. Luckily it is open. I slowly open it. I look around. There are stairs leading from the front room to the second floor. More light is pouring from upstairs. I go up the stairs as silently as I could, a few creaks mingled in. I wince at the sound not wanting to alert anyone in the house. I finally reach the top of the stairs. I'm facing a bed and a table. I didn't think there was anything else until I turned around. I freeze at the sight. Hermione is there… and she's- she's… snogging Fred! She stops and turns to me, smirking. Fred turns to me as well.

"You know, Ron. You made the right choice. Hermione is one heck of a keeper… too bad you lucked out to not get in on this." he says. They both start laughing until Hermione pulls him to her and starts snogging him again, a smile etched into her face.

"No!" I scream as I jolt awake. "Dreadful, dreadful dream…" I say, shaking my head. "Hermione would never cheat on me… what am I saying? Fred is dead… and I can't change that. Hermione can't love a dead man… can she?" I shake away the thought and then let out a sigh. I bound down the stairs. I rush to the kitchen and find George cooking breakfast.

"Mornin'..." he says with a smile. I see a hint of remembrance in his eyes.

"Where's Hermione?" I ask hurriedly.

"No morning back? How rude, Ronald." He smirks at me and slurps at his coffee. He sets it down by the stove and then turns his back to me. He fiddles with the eggs. He suddenly drops the spatula. I flinch as he leans on the counter, both hands clenching it tightly.

"You know she is outside crying again. We both know that. But what I don't understand why…" he says. I sit down and put my face to my hands. "It's so odd how everyone else has been happy while me, you, and Hermione, her especially, have been so often upset. I know why I have… I know why you have, possibly another reason, but her… she has just been miserable. I can't bare to see her like that…-" George mumbled something after that. I couldn't catch it. We sighed.

"I don't know, George, I just don't know… but I intend to find out." I stand up. Just as I'm about to leave for the garden I ask, "Where are the kids?" George perks up.

"Oh, them. The little bundles fell asleep at the Potters' after they had been playing Quidditch all day and Harry offered to keep them over night. Sorry, forgot to tell you." he said with a smile.

"Oh, you forgot to tell me the whereabouts of my kids as soon as you heard it." I said in a cocky manner. "I'll pick them up after wor- WORK! I forgot I have duty at the Ministry today! I've got to run!" I said. As swooped out the door, my jacket in hand, I could have sworn I heard George snicker and say,

"Duty…!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Fuck, another long day at the Ministry," I say under my breath. I slowly drag along in my dad's beat up flying car. It's wrecked at the front, noxious fumes emitting from the back. My kids, Hugo and Rose, bounce around in the back, ready to see 'Uncky George' as they call him. I remember when I had come home from work one day Hugo was staring at our Family Tree out in our living room. Fred's picture was hanging from one of the branches, George perched on the branch right next to him. Hugo's eyes darted from me, hanging on a lower branch, George, and Fred's smiling faces.

"Who's 'Fred'?" he asks.

"A great brother of mine." I answer solemnly. He studies the tapestry once more. He turns to me, big eyes glistening with curiosity.

"Where's Uncky Fred?" he asks. I kneel down and place a hand on his shoulder.

"He's in a place filled with peace. You won't get to meet him… for a while, at least." I smile slightly, but tears start to blur my vision.

"But, if he's great, I want to meet him soon." He says with a pouting lip.

"Be patient. It's not a day that you will want to see." I turn and start to head out the room. Hugo grasps my leg. I blink my tears away before I look down at him.

"What?" I say, an edge in my voice.

"Can I at least send him a letter?" he asks. I can't stop the tears.

"Sure, mate." I smile, tears streaming down to my stubbly chin. He gets out a quill and writes in sloppy handwriting,

Deer Uncky fred,

I am yor nefyoo, Hugo. I want to meet u but Daddy Ron says I cant… for a wile. Dad says he misses u. Even tho I havnt met u, I miss u to. I hope u r dooing well.

Love,

Hugo

I read the letter over and over until my eyes stung with tears again.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it, Hugo. Now, go to bed. You've been up too long. Don't want your Mum getting worked up." Hugo marched to his room. I'm up for a while after. I stare into the crumbling fire that it seems I lit days ago. All I thought about was how Hugo and Rose will never get to eat their Uncle… and their Uncle will never get Hugo's letter…

I pull myself back to the present. I realized that we have flown over the house by a couple hundred feet. I zoom back around, stirring the kids in the back seat. I land with a loud _THUMP! _in the drive way… well, partially in the driveway. I skidded in the grass a couple feet, tearing up the grass under and around it. Hermione is going to have a hippogriff when she hears that I zoned out in the car… while driving the kids. If she even hears. Even if I walked up and told Hermione that I _wrecked _the car and all the kids were burning in the wreckage outside, she would probably just sit there. Well, maybe if I told her the kids were burning she would come back to reality, but if I just told her the car was wrecked, she'd stay in her own little world. I lead the kids back into the house and start on dinner. Usually Hermione was the one to cook but she has been too sad to even go out of the house. She hasn't even been to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to get her week's paperwork. And before she was always so neat, so perfect in everything she did. It's hard to think your wife is not perfect but right now she has hit a low. I love her but she is now unorganized, indifferent, lethargic, and just down right messy. George has been trying to get her on her feet but it's like she can't even look at him. Is it possible that she is traumatized by Fred's death, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and George just triggers it? I shake my head, pulling myself back to the present once more. I dish out the sloppily made shepherd's pie to Hugo and Rose. They happily eat it, exhausted from their day of fun with the Potters. Their clothes are filthy from playing Quidditch, sleeping in them, and then playing in them all day once more. After their large portions, they sleepily head towards the tub where I happily wash them until they are the cleanest a kid can be. They get into their pajamas and go into their rooms. I blow out the candles and sit at their side until they fall into a restful sleep. I, on the other hand, barely sleep at all. Hermione is already crying when I get into the room. At three o'clock in the morning I finally think to use Silencio on her. In minutes I fall into a restless sleep.

I have another bad dream. I am walking in a circular room. I stop to examine all the doors lining the room. One door has a red X on it. It is larger than the other doors. I trace the X with my wand. It lights up in flames and the door falls into four pieces. The room beyond is dark.

"Lumos!" I say. My wand lights the whole room. There isn't much to see. Mirrors line the whole room. I walk up to one of the mirrors. Nothing is in the reflection. Just the other mirrors in the room. Suddenly, my wand goes out. Candles in the room light up one by one until they finally reach where I'm standing. In the mirror, I do not see my own reflection. I see George's! But he's mimicking my every move. Either he blinks when I blink or he doesn't blink at all. I run my hand through my hair and across my stubble. George does the same, even running his hand on his smooth chin. But then I realize. He's not missing an ear. And suddenly, I'm in the Chamber of Secrets. I'm staring into the Mirror of Erised. Everything goes black again and then I try my wand. It lights the area around me. I look at my body. And I another realization hits me. I'm Hermione. And my desire is… Fred. Suddenly, I'm not controlling myself. I run straight into the mirror. Glass pierces me. I fall to the ground, shards of the Mirror laying around my mangled body. I scream a Hermione and my voice erupts out of it as I wake up screaming.

Hermione isn't in bed again. I wake up the kids and get them breakfast. Nobody is home except for me and the kids. As they eat their oats, I look at our old grandfather clock. It has me, Hugo, Rose, and Hermione's name on it. George's name had appeared on there since he moved in… where is it now? I look at Hermione's name. It says 'work'.

_"Bloody hell, she actually went to work?" _I think. But then I start to wonder about George. I think about using this 'phone' that my dad gave me to 'call' him. But… I don't really know how to use it. And I don't think George would answer… I don't think you can do it with just one phone. _"Ah, hell… If George isn't around whose going to watch the kids?" _I turn to my kids.

"Rose, Hugo, who wants to go to work with Daddy?" I ask slightly too enthusiastically.

"I do, I do!" Rose squeaks, raising her hand as high as she could.

"Ooh, me too, me too…!" Hugo says, trying to raise his hand higher. I smile. We all pile into the car and go to the Ministry. When I get to the phone booth, I park my car in the alley behind it. We squeeze into the phone booth. I rest my hands on their shoulders as we descend into the building below. It's bustling with people. So many sounds erupt as I walk through the vast front room with my children. The fountain still decorates the middle of the rooms, restored from its destruction. I stare at the elf at the bottom, thinking of the weird days where Dobby would be at our side, helping us along. I wonder if the rock is still marking his grave. I drag myself to the front desk to check in. After going through to the elevator, we head to my office. They are absolutely ecstatic by the time we get into the small cubicle of a room. They are bouncing on the balls of their feet, anticipating something exciting to happen. When nothing occurs, they start roaming around the room, eyes filled with wonder, wanting to see more. After a while they settle into the seat across from my desk. I feel their stares on me as I go over my paper work. A few scoundrels I caught last week have just been transferred to Azkaban, and now I have to fill out all of the paper that practically is just asking, 'Are these criminals criminals?' After I still feel the heat of their stares, I glance up at them.

"Whatcha watching, mates?" I ask.

"You." They answer simultaneously. A big grin spreads across their face, as well as mine. I get up from my seat calmly and slowly walk over to them with narrowed eyes and a grin still on my face. Once I reach them, I swoop them up and set them on the floor, tickling them to my heart's content. They laugh their heads off, squeals echoing around the room. Suddenly, Arrowick, my assistant, bursts into the room.

"Sir, I- Sir?" he stares at me. I straighten up and pull my children up with me.

"Arrowick, anything the matter?" I ask in my most appropriate tone.

"Um…. Oh, yes! There's a problem on Diagon Alley. The Three Broomsticks was robbed at wand point. Apparently none of the customers noticed. The waitress just notified us!"

"I'll be right on it then." I said. He nodded and started on his way. Before he made it out the door, I said, "Arrowick! One moment." He backed into the room. He looked at me questioningly. "Do you mind?" I asked, gesturing to my kids. An uneasy look spread across his face as he looked at Hugo and Rose. They smiled at him. A nervous smile ticked up his face.

"No… hehe… not," he paused to gulp. " at all…" He chuckled once more and lead my kids to his office. They happily followed. Now onto more pressing matters. I sped outside and almost ran out to the phone booth. A tapped my foot anxiously as the elevator finally creaked to a stop. I ran out the door and grabbed my broom from the trunk of the car. I might be a bit rusty but I managed to safely make it to Diagon Alley, even if the flight was bumpy. I happily hopped off my broom and hurried onto the street towards The Three Broomsticks. When I finally made it there a girl in an apron, most likely the waitress, was sitting down against the wall, a group of people huddled around her. I squeezed through. She hopped up at the sight of me.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here." She said. Something seemed familiar about her. Suddenly, it hit me.

"Padma?" I asked, an awed expression on my face.

"Ron?" she asked, cocking her head.


	3. Chapter 3

I was so surprised. I eagerly embrace my old friend. It stays longer than expected but then she lets go after a few moments.

"Ronald Weasley. You're the Auror they sent, I expect?" She asked. I nodded. "Well, that's great. Well, not that The Three Broomsticks just got robbed… but it _is _great to see you, even under these circumstances. I haven't seen you since-" She stopped. She slowly slid to the ground on the wall behind her. She looked up at me, eyes glossy. "So… how are you? The last I heard of you was that you got a job at the Ministry and then got promoted to an Auror."

"Um, well, I'm perfectly fine." I hesitated. "Well, not perfectly. At home it is kind of rough… Memories have been striking us hard… But, jobs going great, George moved in, kids fine. How-" She cut me off before I could continue. "What about Hermione? How's she? I mean, I haven't seen her since the Yule Ball. It seems like forever ago…" She drifts a bit but then turns to me. I stutter on.

"Well…. She… her job is going fine. Bringing in the Galleons… umm… she took the kids out to Diagon Alley today… and-" She cut me off again.

"I said _how _is she. Not _what _she is doing. Emotionally, I mean. You said it's rough. _She _has to be the problem."

"Well, she is no _problem_… She's… just… upset." Padma raised an eyebrow.

"About?" she pressed.

"A-about… umm…" I thought for a sec. I didn't want to bring back any horrid memories to her. Then I got it. "She's _terribly _upset about George… _Terribly_. He wasn't making enough money with the… umm… joke shop so he had it taken away. He had to move in afterwards. And Hermione just _balled _about him losing his store. It was his house as well so he was left on the streets. He came to us and we were happy to help him out." I thought that was believable. And Padma certainly did as well.

"Aw, that's terrible. Well, I hope they are okay." She stopped as if trying to remember something. "Oh, we need to deal with the robbery!" I jumped in surprise at the statement.

"Yes, certainly!" I squealed. She lead me inside and through a door behind the bar counter. She picked up a dingy, dark green cloak.

"As he was running out the door, this flew off of him." Padma said, holding out the filthy garment. It looked dirty but yet it _was_ high quality. I took it and studied the stitching. It was handmade, too. It was new, as well. Someone bought it just for the occasion of robbing the old bar. They had to have dirtied it up really fast.

"Padma, did you see what he looked like?" I asked suddenly, slightly surprising her.

"Um, not much of his face. He was tall, skinny, and as he dropped his cloak, I noticed he had short, white-blonde hair. Does that help?" I immediately knew who it was.

"Yes, it does. Thank you, Padma." I said, dragging the cloak behind me as I rushed out of the bar. I ran down the crowded street, the cloak grasped tightly in my hand. I pushed through the people, weaving my way through to get to the criminal. It was starting to get difficult. I pulled out my wand.

"Please excuse me, criminal on the loose, Auror at business here." I had to repeat it but finally the crowd parted around me. I rushed through and finally got to the empty street of Knockturn Alley. There were few people in the shops, if any. Commotion had really died down here since Voldemort's defeat. But I still kept my wand at ready. I walked briskly through the winding street. People were huddled in alley ways, a few scatted about. They seemed to all be whispering to themselves… Hiding something… I started to walk faster, anxiously awaiting the moment I find this criminal. I turn the corner, and there I find him. He already has a new cloak. Well, I wouldn't say new, but it was definitely a different one, nice but worn with age. It was bright red with… gold trim? Gryffindor colors? On him?! I suddenly was furious and ran up behind him. I ripped the cloak off him.

"What the hell?!" he said, grasping the air behind him for his cloak. He turned. "You!" he screamed at me. But, it wasn't who I thought it was.

"Sc- Scorpius?" I asked in full blown stutter.

"How do you know my name?" he asks, sounding exactly like his father.

"I know your father." I say, lowering my wand.

"Well, bloody hell, I know that. But you _know _him. It's not like your friends or chums with him or some shit like that." he spits back.

"Well, no, not any _shit _like that… but… umm… I was there for your birth Scorpius." I said shakily. He looked absolutely _disgusted._

"No fucking way. My dad would not let you in on my birth. You're a _Weasley_!" He practically spat out the name as if it were a disease.

"Yes… umm… My wife, Hermione, and your father, Draco, used to be very… _very_... good… umm… friends." I smiled at him. "So, he thought she should be there for the birth of you. And I was brought along. You we're a… pleasant… little baby. I wish your mother could have gotten to see you now." I had struggled for words, knowing that a very _un_pleasant young man stood before me. His mother, Astoria Greengrass, had died from blood loss at the birth of Scorpius. I wondered whether Draco had told him or not. And I wondered if his mother would _want _to see him now. I shook away all of my thoughts. I needed to focus on the robbery situation. "Umm… Scorpius, are you aware of the robbery at the Three Broomsticks?" I asked. He suddenly got defensive.

"No. Why would go to that place? It's living hell! All the people cuddled up and talking to each other about their namby-pamby problems, people snogging by the fires, drinking butterbeers…" He growled in anger. "No wonder I robbed the place! It's goddamn annoying!" He shouted. His eyes got wide, knowing he admitted it in fury. He turned and bolted. I ran after him.

"Stop!" I shouted. I dropped the cloak as I ran. He suddenly pulled out his wand and aimed it at me. He seemed hesitant and panicked. His thinking stalled him enough for me to disarm him. "Expelliarmus!" I shouted. His wand flew out of his hand and landed a few feet away. He scrambled toward it but I was too fast. "Accio Scorpius's wand!" I shouted. The wand flew into my hand. I walked up to him, wand aiming right at him. He trembled slightly but then put on a smug face.

"What are you going to do, Levicorpus me? Jiggle me up and down until all my lunch money falls out?" he mocked.

"Ooh, good idea but, no, I'm not going to do that. If you try and run, I'll Stupefy you and send you off to Azkaban, where the Dementors can have you. If you just stand there like a buffoon I'll send you off to Azkaban." I said, of course bluffing.

"You wouldn't! My father would hear about it and get me right out!" He said, quite obviously scared. I raised an eyebrow daringly. His eyes widened, thinking I was serious. "Alright, then what other choice do I have?" he asked pleadingly.

"Well, you could give back all the money you stole." I said smugly.

"Or? I need this money." He said.

"Or, you could spend the next 10 years in Azkaban." I waited for a response. Nothing came for awhile. And then I saw a slash below me. I looked down and then back up at Scorpius. Tears were pouring from his face.

"I need it…" he said. I knelt down to where he could see my face easier.

"What is wrong? Why do you need it?" I asked, my hand on his shoulder. He motioned for me to follow him, briskly rubbing the tears off his face. He lead me to a small alley. He showed me why he needed it. And I will never forget what he showed me that day.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hello readers.**_

_**I am SO terribly sorry that I have not posted a chapter in awhile. It makes me sad not to be able to post more frequently but school is a little hectic. I think you'll like this chapter, though. It has a little more romance. I really hope you enjoy reading. And don't forget to leave a review, please!**_

_**-PP**_

As I walked up to their door, I could already tell that something was amiss. The wood looked like a broken mirror, shattered in different places. It had to have been repaired with magic, for there were no nails or anything binding it. But it was shoddy, bits and pieces not even in the right place. Scorpius gingerly pushed the door open, wincing as the door creaked. As we walked into the dingy, leaking house, I wondered why the Malfoys weren't sitting complacently in Malfoy Manor. The memory of the last time I had been there struck me like lightning. It almost knocked me off balance, but then I noticed that I had just walked into a fallen table. It snapped me back into my senses, at least. I observed the room around me. Scorpius stopped in front of me and then turned around. He wore an oddly stern expression on his face.

"Stay here." he said and turned briskly to leave the room. He didn't close the door as he left, but I still couldn't hear anything from within the house. I had the sudden urge to follow him… yet also the urge to leave. This place gave me the creeps. I walked through the small room, discerning everything I saw. I then, for once, felt bad for Draco. I never really witnessed anyone in this kind of condition… at least now of days. Lost in thought again, I walked into the table once more. And this time I made an awful lot of racket, falling over the table into a pile of quills and papers. I plopped onto the papers, sending even more of them flying. A news paper drifted on top of my face.

"_At least it's a good way to pass the time…" _I thought. I positioned my self more comfortably and started reading. I hadn't actually read the _Prophet _in a while. Ever since the false stories and it being run by Death Eaters and all that nonsense. I was actually quite absorbed in the _Quibbler_. Luna, after all these years, had actually kept it running.

"It's really more of a hobby…" she had said to me at one time. "I just like keeping up to date with the news so what better way to do it then to write it. And then I can just read my own papers."

She was really fascinating… I wondered if she still had that mural. I hoped she did. It was really lovely. I continued to read through the paper, skimming passed stupid stories like, "Local witch, Katrina Katterbairy, wins wizard lottery for 1,000 galleons!" and "Snodgrass discovers new form of dragon scale potion!" One I did find interesting though. "Neville Longbottom, Professor at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, gets eaten by a snargaluff while teaching Herbology." I read on. "Students say he was in the stomach of the plant for at least ten minutes before bursting out of the stomach wielding a pair of bonsai scissors. Though having chemical burns from the stomach acid of the plant, he says that it was a good thing he was eaten by the plant because he discovered a new specimen while inside. He claims that he will give no further detail until the specimen is named, classified, and patented by himself." I almost laughed out loud at what there was next. A smiling Neville with a gooey, green substance all over him, holding the tiniest pairs of scissors I have ever seen. After I riffled over a couple more pages, I saw something I was surely was not expecting to see. A scowling Draco Malfoy, bound at his wrists, and a big, bold headline above it. "**Draco Lucius Malfoy arrested for robbery, vandalism, and accused murder. Being held in a detaining cell in Azkaban until proven guilty.**" There was nothing more to the paper. I picked up the next beside me. Another article was posted about Draco. "**Draco Malfoy accused of nine more crimes relating to robbery, animal cruelty, and assault in several cases.**" I picked up an additional paper. This story headlined the paper, "**Draco Malfoy, prison escapee faces eight years in Azkaban. Aurors say that if he turns himself in, he faces only six years, but further allegations are being prosecuted against him.**"

All I could think was, "_Why wasn't I informed of this?!" _But then more thoughts started racing through my mind. "_Is he dangerous?" _and "_Should I arrest him?"_ and "_Why did he do this?" _and yet I had some reluctance to act upon any of these thoughts. How could I arrest a man in such poor condition, needing to provide for his family. I got up and starting straightening the room until it was as I had found it. I tried to make things look neat but it was hard in a dismal place like this. "_Oh, boy, I'm turning into my wife... " _I thought. I tried to think straight, to force myself to do the right thing. I knew what I had to do. I compeled myself to go through the door that Scorpius had gone through earlier. It seemed like hours ago. I put my hand on my wand, preparing for the worst. I didn't want to hurt Malfoy, especially in front of his family, in his own house, I might add. I crept down the hallway as quietly as I could. Up ahead, there was shadows in a doorway. I heard murmuring from inside. As I was reaching the open door, the floorboards creaked. I stopped. The murmuring continued, so I assumed they hadn't heard me. I continued to creep once more. I edged myself to the very rim of the entry way. I could barely distinguish the whispering but I could still hear what they were saying well enough. I could hear Draco's wife talking. I peeked around the corner. Astoria and Draco's sillouettes were pronounced by the fire. I couldn't see much expression on their faces, but I could tell by their voices that they were sorrowful.

"I cannot believe you got us into this mess again…" Astoria said. "After we had the kids, you promised you wouldn't get tied into this criminal business again. When Vol-... You-Know-Who died… I thought things were going to change. You never even wanted to be a Death Eater. Why are you acting like one?"

"Honey, you know I'm not just doing thing to do it. It's for you… and the kids. I need to supply for the family. And of course I didn't want to be a Death Eater. But I certainly am not acting like one." he said, looking at the floor.

"Then why all the needless crimes?! The murders, the unrequired vandalisms. What am I saying… none of this is required! If you would just get a job then-" Draco cut her off.

"You know I can't get a job, even before the crimes. Not with my reputation." His head dropped lower. I tried to turn around the corner to see if anyone else was in the room, but that was a _big _mistake. As I turned, my foot scuffed the carpet and I almost toppled over. I caught myself, but not before Draco saw me in the entrance. At first I thought that he was just ignoring it, but then he turned to someone else in the room. "Scorpius…" he said. "Why don't you go check on our visitor?" He said, with an apparent happiness in his voice. I at once heard footsteps. If I ran, I knew that Malfoy would soon flee after I went to get back up. And I didn't have anywhere to hide. Immediately, I thought of the Disillusionment Charm, and camoflauged myself. I sucked in and pushed myself as much against the wall as I could as Scorpius ran by. He didn't seem to notice me. I turned and rushed through the door where Malfoy was. He was standing stiff and rigid, staring into the fire. There was no more smug look on his face. His wife had left and Scorpius was still searching. We were completely alone. I crept closer to him until I had a full view of his face. I'd never seen Malfoy with wearing anything but a smug look on his face, and the occasional anger or sadness. This time, there was pure dismay. His eyes were glossy and a tear actually trickled down his face. He stiffened and blinked frantically but he could not stop the tears from slipping out. He cried. It was strange because his face was straight. But his eyes. They were the saddest of eyes. And tear after tear poored out. And that was why it was so sad. Before I could stop myself, I placed a hand on his shoulder. At this, he straightened. And then, it was back. The cocky, concieted look. His smirk turned into a full on grin as I let go.

"Big mistake." He said in a dark voice. I didn't even notice the person standing behind me. The last thing I saw was hands harshly grabbing my shoulder and the room going dark. I thought I was blacked out but then I realized that the fire had just been put out. I quickly tried to scramble out of the person's grasp, and I was free! For a matter of seconds. A second figure jumped on top of me, and I felt a hand over my mouth. I tried to scream, but nothing happened. Luckily my hand was still free and I quickly grabbed my wand.

"Expelliarmus!" I screamed through my muffled mouth. It sounded more like "Eppoo-ee-ermis!" but I guess I thought it hard enough for it to work. I had no idea what I had hit, but after a moment of stabilizing myself, I realized I was free. I jumped up and ran until I fell right into the ashes of the fire. I wanted to scream in pain, but I didn't want to them to know where I was in the dark room. I held it in but my arms and back burned like hell. The room seemed small in the light, but when you were completely in the dark and with barely any furniture, it was as big as a Quidditch field. I ran until I hit wall. "_Now what to do?!" I _thought frantically. I felt my way along the wall until I felt a handle and the smooth surface of a door. I jiggled it. Locked. I felt along the wall until I reached another door. I tried it and luckily it was opened. I quickly opened it, but it made the loudest sqeak that echoed along the room.

"He must be over there!" I heard Draco yell. I heard them get up and frantically rush towards the door. I squeezed inside and locked it. I waited. "Lumos!" I heard Draco say. I looked through the keyhole. Draco searched around the room. I sat down in the tiny space. I felt so defenseless… and downright stupid, at that. I was an Auror, top class, and here I was, hiding in a closet. I felt ashamed. _BANG! BANG! _The loud rapping on the door broke my reverie. _BANG! BANG! _I heard again. "Open up!" Draco said. It's the only thing I could think of to do. I was ready to face them. I held my wand at ready. With a burst of courage, I opened the door. I stiffened when I saw them at the other side of the room. I closed the door, and luckily Draco's knocking muffled the creaking. I used the Disillusionment Charm again. Just as I opened the door and swept out of the closet, Draco had used the charm _Alohomora _to open the opposite door. It was like it was in slow motion. His eyes widened and he turned to the door I had just left. I couldn't even hear his screams, I was so far down the hall. Or maybe it was because I was so frightened. I kept running. But I know must have been blinded by fear or just plain idiotic. Because I didn't run out the door… I ran into another room. I never had run away from a fight and I wasn't going to now. I waited at the entrance of a tiny work room. Draco and Scorpius soon appeared by their front door.

"Fuck!" Draco screamed. "He got away!" He rubbed his stubly chin. "Scorpius, go get your mother. Tell her we're leaving." He stared at the door, contemplating. I made sure no one was watching. When the coast was certainly clear, I crept out of the room and slowly walked towards Draco. I swiftly put him in a chokehold and held my wand to his neck.

"Leaving so soon?" I asked him, actually feeling quite proud of myself at the time. This seemed to have stunned him. It took him awhile to get his words. When he finally gathered himself, he said,

"I-... I thought you left." His eyes shifted nervously to me.

"I thought I was going to… but then that would be _cowardly _wouldn't it. And you would have just snuck away and tucked yourself into some other knook or kranny. Now, you tell your boy Scorpius to stay in your fire room." He hesitated, so I poked him in the back with my wand. He swallowed deeply.

"Scorpi-" he cleared his throat, it being shaky and uncertain. "Scorpius! Tell your mother to stay in the family room!"

"But Dad!" the boy screamed. We heard footsteps running down the hall. I nudged him again.

"Scorpius Malfoy! Get your mother and wait in the fire room NOW!" Draco screamed. It was suddenly fiercely authoritative. Scorpius' footsteps faded as he walked away. Draco's voice quieted to a whisper. "Now, what do you want?"

"I saw the papers." I said simply. His face flushed of all the color that was left. He grinded his teeth and shifted his eyes, as if thinking of a way to get out of the situation. They stopped on the papers I had put on the table earlier. He made a false anger.

"You looked through my personal papers, you dirty Weasley!?" he spat the word _Weasley _as if it was a disease, just like his son. "You have no right-"

"I'm an Auror, and your a criminal. I have every right. What do you want, a warrant?" I waited for a response. Nothing. "You know where your going, right?" I asked. Draco sunk, as if his feet were drawn a little more into the floor. He gulped and turned to me.

"I-... If I go… You have to promise me something." he said.

"I'm listening." I said, getting a bit impatient. This house was starting to close in on me.

"If I go… you have to take in my family." he didn't look me in the eyes, but I could tell he really needed this. But I just couldn't believe it.

"You ask _me _that? After, you, Draco Malfoy, the one who bullied me since the first day I came to Hogwarts, the one who joined the _Death Eaters_ - the people who _killed my brother_, I might add - , and the childish little boy who _slept with my girlfriend_, now my wife, after getting her drunk in Hogsmeade. You think that I will take in your family? Why don't you go and ask _Pansy_?" I was close to infuriated. His eyes started to well. He looked like a child. But then I thought of my own family. If I would have asked Draco but I was still in the condition now, he would probably say no. But if I was in _his _condition, things would probably be different. Maybe… I didn't know what. I looked at him. He needed this. I sighed. He spoke up.

"I will take full responsibility for all of my actions. _All_ of them. Even if I don't get out of Azkaban for eighty years." he said. And I could tell he meant it. I took his hand, swished him around, and bound his hands with the _Incarcerous _curse. He was surprised, but he then relaxed, somehow knowing I had excepted. I called into the Ministry up and told them I'd be there shortly with Draco. They asked me about his family, so I just told them I had taken care of it. Draco called in his family and we apparated to the Ministry. The next few weeks were a blur. Draco got his trial, and of course he was guilty… but he only got _one year._ I was so surprised I almost threw up. I had vouched for him though, telling them that he had stole for his homeless family. I guess that must have taken off a lot. He wasn't guilty of the murders, apparently. His family moved in with us. And it was… interesting.


End file.
